Laid back mornings on Tallink Silja’s new cruise attracted interest

Baltic Princess glides to its berth in the Värtan harbour in Stockholm and at around 9.30 a.m. Sirpa Tähtinen and Teija Aro who have travelled from Turku disembark. The hundreds of little boutiques in Stockholm are just opening their doors and the air is filled with the aroma of newly baked buns.

“I would not have taken a Day in Stockholm cruise from Turku if I had had to wake up early in the morning. Now we can sleep till late. And we can come back to the ship any time we want, because it stays in the harbour all day”, Ms Aro says.

The two friends headed to the Abba Museum, toured in shops and stopped for a coffee. That is what most of the passengers spending a day in Stockholm do. In addition to the Abba Museum, popular places include the Vasa ship and Junibacken is a must for families with children.

Slow cruise got people on the move

Like Ms Aro and Ms Tähtinen, the cruise passengers have given positive feedback on the new product. This cruise has been eagerly awaited.

“People have been asking for such a cruise for a long time and I’m glad that we were able to realise it. Now that we have just one ship on the Turku–Stockholm route, it became possible to arrange the Day in Stockholm cruise from Turku”, says Tomi Pullinen, Sales Manager at Tallink Silja.

The positive reception is concretely visible in figures: the passenger numbers increased. During the autumn holiday week the cruises were sold out.

“Senior citizens in particular have discovered the Day in Stockholm cruises departing from Turku. It may be the easiest for them to travel on Monday evening. Our target group nevertheless includes people of all ages: families with children, groups of friends, and business travellers.

Meeting in the port

The updated schedules introduced a whole new opportunity for conference travellers. When Baltic Princess stays in the Port of Turku on Wednesdays, the conference facilities with a sea view are open for booking and a delicious lunch is served.

“After that you can choose whether you want to sail to Sweden or stay on land. This conference package will soon go for sale and it has already attracted interest. The other routes do not have a similar product on offer”, Mr Pullinen says.

Cargo transports are taking a longer time to get used to the new schedules, and the busiest drivers would like to get on the move in Turku early on Wednesday morning as before. Mr Pullinen hopes, however, that cargo transports will also adapt to the changes over time.

Swedes get a chance to spend a day in Turku

For those coming from Sweden, the new arrangements mean a Day in Turku cruise from Stockholm. Sirpa SaikkonenForsberg and Johan Forsberg live in Sweden and grabbed the opportunity right away.

“I’m from Finland originally and travel regularly on the ferries. This cruise is suited to us very well, as Silja has not had evening departures from Stockholm to Turku for a long time. We are on the way to my father’s 97th birthday”, Ms SaikkonenForsberg says.

For Tallink Silja, the practical arrangements of the new cruise product mainly meant expanding the schedules of services, such as the brunch. According to Mr Pullinen’s observations, the changes went smoothly in the Port of Turku and also in the Värtan harbour. In November 2024, decisions on continuing the cruises next autumn had not yet been made.

Text and photos: Sari Järvinen